EUROVISION fans have picked their first ten finalists after the 70th edition of the iconic song contest kicked off in Vienna.
The BBC aired the first semi-final of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest at 8pm on Tuesday, May 12, 2026.
Austria is hosting the world’s biggest music competition for the third time after JJ stormed to victory in Basel last year with Wasted Love.
Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski are hosting the show, with Emily Busvine looking after the Green Room.
Rylan and Angela Scanlon are providing commentary from the Wiener Stadthalle.
What happened in the first Eurovision semi-final?
A total of 15 countries competed for 10 Grand Final spots on Tuesday night.
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Pre-qualified Italy and Germany were slotted in after the sixth and 10th songs respectively.
Both nations were performing and voting, but not competing for a place in the final.
After all acts had performed, it was down to Eurovision fans to vote for who they want to see in Saturday’s final.
Just ten countries were picked and they were:
- Moldova – Satoshi, Viva, Moldova!
- Sweden – Felicia, My System
- Croatia – Lelek, Andromeda
- Greece – Akylas, Ferto
- Finland – Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen, Liekinheitin
- Israel – Noam Bettan, Michelle
- Belgium – Essyla, Dancing on the Ice
- Lithuania – Lion Ceccah, Sólo quiero más
- Poland – Alicja, Pray
- Serbia – Lavina, Kraj mene
Viewers in the UK were not able to vote during the first semi-final, but things are going to change tonight.
What is the Eurovision semi-final 2 running order?
The second Eurovision semi-final follows at 8pm on Thursday, May 14, live on BBC One and iPlayer.
Another 15 countries will battle it out for the remaining 10 places.
Pre-qualified France, Austria and the UK will slot in after the fifth, eighth and 12th songs respectively.
These countries are performing and voting, but not competing for a place in the final.
The order for the second semi is as follows:
- Bulgaria – Dara, Bangaranga
- Azerbaijan – JIVA, Just Go
- Romania – Alexandra Căpitănescu, Choke Me
- Luxembourg – Eva Marija, Mother Nature
- Czechia – Daniel Žižka, Crossroads
- France (non-competing) – Monroe, Regarde !
- Armenia – Simón, Paloma Rumba
- Switzerland – Veronica Fusaro, Alice
- Cyprus – Antigoni, Jalla
- Austria (non-competing) – Cosmó, Tanzschein
- Latvia – Atvara, Ēnā
- Denmark – Søren Torpegaard Lund, Før vi går hjem
- Australia – Delta Goodrem, Eclipse
- Ukraine – Leléka, Ridnym
- United Kingdom (non-competing) – Look Mum No Computer, Eins, Zwei, Drei
- Albania – Alis, Nân
- Malta – Aidan, Bella
- Norway – Jonas Lovv, Ya Ya Ya
This is the show where UK fans can pick up the phone and vote.
When is the Eurovision Grand Final?
The Eurovision 2026 Grand Final takes place on Saturday, May 16, with the show getting underway at 8pm on BBC One, iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.
A whopping 25 acts will perform – the top 10 countries from each semi-final, alongside hosts Austria and the Big Four of Germany, France, Italy and the UK.
The full Grand Final running order won’t be locked in until after the second semi-final.
A draw will decide if each of the qualifying nations is slotted into the first or second half of the show.
Another draw has already determined that Austria are the closing act, meaning the host country is set to be the 25th and final performance of the night.
Graham Norton is back behind the mic for the BBC’s live coverage, with former Drag Race winner Tia Kofi heading up the broadcaster’s backstage and digital coverage.